In Ryūchi Cave, the White Snake Sage, in her "Granny" form, led Akaseki and Orochimaru out of the temple to an underground plain made entirely of stark white rock.
"Although there will be no trials... that does not make the dangers of Sage Mode disappear. I must ask you one last time: are you certain you wish to try?" White Snake Granny tapped her staff against the ground and asked solemnly.
"Of course!" Akaseki answered without hesitation.
Orochimaru looked around before asking, "Lord White Snake, if we fail... what will happen to us?"
Orochimaru had heard from Jiraiya that when Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode began to spiral out of control, the body would show signs of turning into a frog. Complete failure meant becoming a stone statue...
That was why there were so many half-human, half-frog statues where Jiraiya trained!
But here in Ryūchi Cave...
There was nothing. In every direction, above and below... there was nothing but stark white rock.
"Heh heh heh. Once the nature energy you absorb begins to exceed what you can bear, your mind will start to be affected. If you cannot break free, your memories and reason will gradually fade... until you become a snake completely."
White Snake Granny paused before continuing, "Of course, your body, filled with nature energy, must not go to waste. I will see to it that you return to nature... slurp."
From the hungry look on White Snake Granny's face, it was easy enough to guess how she intended to make them "return."
"So it is not the body, but the mind that becomes entirely bestial..." Orochimaru fell silent for a moment. "The body? Of course not. Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode transforms the body," White Snake Granny said as though that were obvious.
Unlike Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode...
In